To honor great writers like Robert Riskind, Friday, January 5 has been deemed National Screenwriters Day and screenwriters all over the country are coming together to celebrate. ScreenwritingU President, Hal Croasnum, spearheaded the creation of the holiday in 2017 and so far, it’s been a huge success.

Here’s a checklist of everything you need to be thinking about when you write, rewrite and rewrite again the first act of your movie. Some of these ideas have been covered in previous articles so links will be added so you can read about them in more depth. Let’s get started.

Very often screenwriters will get a funky note that goes something like this, “It was a good idea but the execution wasn’t there.” Like many notes you’ll get in your career, it could mean a lot of things. To help you sort out what it means, let’s go over a few terms.

As a young writer, it is important to understand how franchise writing works. But where do you start? How do you know what kind of movies Lucasfilm will want to make in the years to come? That’s where my investigative work comes into play.

Most professional writers will tell you not to chase the marketplace. But if you’re working with an agent or manager, they will urge you to write what is currently on trend. The days of selling spec features are long gone. Yes, it does still happen, but it’s not reasonable to plan on it happening. Today, it’s all about television: network, cable, but mostly streaming. And that’s a very good thing for writers.

Have you ever scrapped a script idea before you finished the outline? Or have you gotten stuck in act two and put the project on “the back burner?” Have you blazed through the first draft and never looked at the project again? Hands up. I’m talking to you.

From time to time all aspiring writers have to face the dreaded query letter—whether you’re looking for an agent or a manager you’re going to have to bite the bullet and write those letters. While this may seem like just a boring business letter, it’s actually a time to show off your talent as a writer and your understanding of the business.

(PARK CITY, Utah) -- Sundance Film Festival 2017 was all about virtual reality. It was everywhere, so if you think VR is still a thing of the future - think again. VR is here, and it needs screenwriters.
In a condo just off Main Street in Park City, I was lucky enough to participate in the VR experience Astroids!, a 360-degree animation. ...